Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) State president Kummanam Rajasekharan has accused the CPI(M) of unleashing violence against his party and its offices deliberately to turn public opinion against the BJP.
Talking to reporters after submitting a memorandum to Governor P. Sathasivam seeking action to check the violence, Mr. Rajasekharan said the violence had escalated after BJP president Amit Shah’s visit to the State. The CPI(M) had used the alleged attempt to assault CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury as an excuse for unleashing violence on BJP cadres and offices and the offices of BJP affiliates. In reality, no attack had taken place against Mr. Yechury, he said.
Police inaction alleged
Mr. Rajasekharan also alleged that the police did not act on complaints filed repeatedly by the BJP on the petrol bomb attack on its party office in the State capital. He also accused the CPI(M) leadership of having remained silent spectators when CPI(M) cadres indulged in violence.
In contrast, all the leaders of the BJP and its sister organisations had come out and called for restraint among its workers and this had helped in de-escalating the situation in Kannur, Kozhikode, and other places.